Anti-friction device for safety ski binding

ABSTRACT

An anti-friction device for safety ski bindings which includes a metallic washer and a first low-friction washer of larger diametric dimension than the metal washer which are held fast by means of a screw; a disc of larger diametric dimension and also provided with low-friction surfaces rests freely slidable on the upper low-friction surface of the second washer while an encapsulating member of resilient material is placed over the disc and washers and has its peripheral edges tucked under the second washer to provide a dirt- and moisture-free assembly.

United States Patent 1191 Edmund [4 1 Sept. 16, 1975 ANTI-FRICTIONDEVICE FOR SAFETY SKI BINDING [76] Inventor: James M. Edmund, 5262 OldeStage Rd., Boulder, Colo. 80302 [22] Filed: Sept. 18, 1973 [21] Appl.No: 398,445

[52] US. Cl 280/11.35 C

[51] Int. Cl. A63C 9/00 [58] Field of Search ..280/11.35 C, 11.35 K,11.35 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,446,511 5/1969 Marker280/11.35 C

3,448,990 6/1969 Cubberley et al.... 280/1 1.35 C

3,515,402 6/1970 Weiss 280/1135 C 3,578,349 5/1971 Edmund 280/11.35 K

3,689,094 9/1972 Marker et a1. 280/11.35 C

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,558,544 1/1969 France 280/11.35 C

1,478,088 6/1969 Germany 280/11.35 C 2,129,391 12/1971 Germany 280/11.35 C

Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-Milton L. SmithAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Craig & Antonelli ['57] ABSTRACT Ananti-friction device for safety ski bindings which includes a metallicwasher and a first low-friction washer of larger diametric dimensionthan the metal washer which are held fast by means of a screw; a disc oflarger diametric dimension and also provided with low-friction surfacesrests freely slidable on the upper low-friction surface of the secondwasher while an en capsulating member of resilient material is placedover the disc and washers and has its peripheral edges tucked under thesecond washer to provide a dirtand moisture-free assembly.

25 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures ANTI-FRICTION DEVICE FOR SAFETY SKI BINDINGThe present invention relates to an anti-friction device for safety skibindings.

Within the past few years, the significance of friction between the bootand the ski has become ever more apparent. This is true for the reasonthat a safety ski binding is normally designed and adjusted to releaseat a predetermined force. However, in case of a fall, for example, incase of a forward fall, the weight of the skier shifts drastically sothat a greater amount of the weight is forward on one boot, therebycausing an increase in the friction force and therewith an increase inthe thrust necessary to cause release of the ski binding.

Various anti-friction devices have been proposed in the prior art. Forexample, the US. Pat. No. 3,446,511 to H. Marker describes a solesupport for safety ski bindings which utilizes a spring action by theuse of springs in such sole support. This construction, however, is notonly complicated and relatively costly but also is difficult to installand of questionable reliability in operation.

The U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,094 to H. Marker suggests a sole supportingmember consisting of a flexible hollow body which is squeezed flat andfilled with a liquid that does not freeze at the temperatures normallyencountered during skiing. This arrangement also entails certaindisadvantages as regards its reliability in operation since it involvesa liquid-filled squeezed body while other embodiments disclosed in thispatent are complicated in structure as well as costly in manufacture andassembly.

The US. Pat. No. 3,448,990 to Cubberley et al discloses an anti-frictiondevice which among other disadvantages is not moistureand dirtproof andposes certain problems as regards its reliability of operation.

Finally, the US. Pat. No. 3,515,402 to Weiss represents another type ofanti-friction device of relatively complicated construction. 7 r

In contradistinction thereto, the present invention is concerned withproviding an anti-friction device that excels by its dirtandmoisture-proof design as well as by its simplicity in construction sothat both its cost of manufacture and cost of installation can be keptlow.

More specifically, the present invention is concerned with ananti-friction device of the type described above which is providedbetween the toe area of the ski boot sole and the ski plate of a skibinding disclosed, for example, in my prior U.S.' Pat. No. 3,578,349,which greatly enhances the reliability of a twist release when the skierfalls in a forwardly twisting manner.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide ananti-friction device which obviates by simple means the aforementionedshortcomings and drawbacks encountered in the prior art.

Another object of the present invention resides in an antifrictiondevice for safety-ski bindings which greatly enhances the reliability ofoperation 'by re ducing the effect of the friction forces when theweight of the skier is shifted in the course of a falll A further objectof the present'invention resides an an antifriction device of the typedescribed above which is substantially completely. moistureanddirtproof, yet is simple in structure, easy to install and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following description whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, forpurposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view of a ski with a safety skibinding of the type disclosed in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,578,349 andprovided with an antifriction device in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view of a part of the ski with safetyrelease binding of FIG. 1 provided with an anti-friction device inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through ananti-friction device in accordance with the present invention, takenalong line IIIIII of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, through anotherembodiment of an anti-friction device in accordance with the presentinvention.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are usedthroughout the various views to designate like parts, reference numeral10 designates a ski of any conventional construction. Even though theantifriction device of the present invention can be used with any safetyski binding known in the art in which the toe portion of the boot solerests on the ski or ski plate, the present invention will be describedby reference to a safety ski binding of the type described in my priorUS. Pat. No. 3,578,349 to indicate one specific application thereofthough, as pointed out above, the present invention is not limitedthereto.

Mounted on the ski 10 is a ski plate 20 for the support of the ski boot30 having a boot sole 31. As described in my aforementioned priorpatent, rollers 21 are rotatably secured to the sides of the ski plate20 which cooperate with a boot plate 32 secured to the bottom surface ofthe boot s-ole 31 intermediate the heel and toe portion. Levers 23 arepivotally connected to the sides of the ski plate 20 at 24 and includefor ward boot plate engaging portions 25 as well as rearwardly extendinglever portions cooperating with a spring-loaded release mechanism (notshown) as more fully described in my aforementioned prior patent. Theengaging and release action of the levers 23 in conjunction with theboot plate 32 and rollers 21 is described in detail in my aforementionedprior patent so that a description thereof is dispensed with herein forthe 20 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. V

The anti-friction device of FIG. 3 includes a metal washer 41, forexample, a steel washer 41 of a first diametric dimension and providedwith an internal bore. A first disk 42 of low-friction material, forexample, made of TEF LON, trademark of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.for its brand of polytetrafluoroethylene plastic, and of largerdiametricdimensions than the metal washer 41 has its inner ends 42' extendedthrough the bore 41 so that a screw 43 of conventional flat head typenot only centers the metal washer 41 but also holds both theantifriction washer 42 and the metal washer 41 onto the surface of theski plate 20. A disk 44 of substantially larger outer diametricdimension than the second washer 42 and made of low-friction material,for example, of polytetrafluorethylene is placed over the second washer42. The outer encapsulating member 45 which consists of appropriateresilient material such as neoprene has its inner ends 45 inverted andextended underneath the second washer 42 so that the entireanti-friction device 40 is held in place and fastened onto the ski platein a moistureand dirt-proof manner by the fastening action of the screw20'. Furthermore, the metal washer 41 as well as the anti-frictionwasher 42 and the anti-friction disc 45 provide an appropriate supportstructure for the outer resilient encapsulating member 45 which has acertain amount of give due to the particular construction yet isself-centering and self-sealing.

The anti-friction device in accordance with the present invention isassembled as follows. The metal washer 41 and polytetrafluorethylenewasher 42 are first fastened onto the ski plate 20 by means of the screw20'. The outer, encapsulating member 45 which is of a resilient materialsuch as neoprene, is assembled to the other members by spreading theaperture thereof with the fingers and snapping it in place over theantifriction disc 44, firstly, then subsequently over the antifrictionwasher 42 which had been previously screwed in place together with theassociated metal washer 44 on the ski plate 20 whereby the inner end 45of the encapsulating member 45 engages underneath the antifrictionwasher 42 in the manner shown in FIG. 3. It should also be noted thatthe neoprene material can stretch resiliently, thereby permitting thedisc 44 to slide on washer 42 with only slight resistance, due to theresilience of the neoprene material and the low friction characteristicsof the polytetrafluorethylene surface with which it is in contact.

FIG. 4 illustrates a slightly modified embodiment in which similar partsare designated by the same reference numerals of the 100 series as usedin FIG. 3. FIG. 4 which represents a more practical embodiment utilizesa steel washer 141 having a central hole 141 barely large enough toaccommodate the screw body 20; the screw head of the flat head typescrew 20 fits in a conical hole142' provided in thepolytetrafluorethylene washer 142 which is formed for example by countersinking the conical surface with a cutting tool or by simpledisplacement of the polytetrafluorethylene material when forciblyturning the screw down against the steel washer. As to the rest, FIG. 4corresponds to FIG. 3.

It should also be noted that the polytetrafluorethylene material for theparts 42 or 142 and 44 as well as the neoprene material for theencapsulating member 45 and the steel material for washer 41 and 141 aremerely given as illustrative examples, though other materials of similaror analogous characteristics can be readily used in the presentinvention. Further more, metal discs and washers or those made of otherrigid materials coated with a low-friction material such aspolytetrafluorethylene or the like could be employed in the presentinvention instead ofthe solid polytetrafiuorethylene members asdescribed hereinabove.

As can be readily seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the antifriction device 40 ofthe present invention involves relatively few parts which are relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and can be easily installed and assembled.Furthermore, since all parts are of circular configuration, they can bereadily mass-produced.

In operation, the toe portion of theboot sole3l rests on theantifriction device 40 and therefore is assured a substantially constantfriction force during an accident, thus greatly enhancing thereliability of operation of the release feature of the safety binding.

While I have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance withthepresent invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications asknown to those skilled in the art. For example, the washers, disks andouter encapsulating member may be made of any other analogous materialhaving similar characteristics. Furthermore, as pointed out above, theanti-friction device 40 may also be used with other safety ski bindingsincluding safety release toe and/or heel support members. Hence, I donot wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein butintend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed bythe scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: V

1. An anti-friction device for supporting the sole of a ski boot on aski for purposes of minimizing variations in the friction forces underall skiing conditions, comprising a first washer means provided with asubstantially centrally located hole, further means having low frictionsurfaces and of larger diametric dimension than said first washer meansand including at least a second washer means, means including a threadedmember for holding said first washer means and atleast a part of saidfurther means'fixedly with respect to the ski, and outer encapsulatingmeans of resilient material which has its peripheral edge portionsfolded over and tucked under the further means to thereby provide amoistureand dirt-proof assembly by the sealing action of the resilientmaterial of the encapsulating means in conjunction with the clampingaction of the tightened threaded member. I

2. An anti-friction device according to claim 1, wherein said furthermeans includes a second washer means with low-friction surfaces andoflarger diamet ric dimension than said first washer means and a diskmeans with low-friction surfaces and of still larger diametric dimensionthan said second washer means, said second washer means beingv held fastby said threaded member.

3. An anti-friction device for skis, according to claim 1, wherein saidfirst washer means essentially consists of a relatively rigid materialwhile the second washer means essentially consists of a material havingantifriction properties.

4. An anti friction device according to claim 3, wherein the firstwasher means is made of steeland the second washer means is made I ofpolytetrafluoroethylene. V

5. An anti-friction 1 device according to claim 1, wherein a disk meansisinterposed between the second washer means and the outer encapsulatingmeans, said disk means beingof largerdiametric dimension than the secondwasher means.

6. An anti-friction device according to claim 5, wherein the disk meansis made of a low-friction material. i

7. An anti-friction device according to claim 5, wherein the disk meansis made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

8. An anti-friction device according to claim 7, wherein the outerencapsulating means essentially consists of neoprene.

9. An anti-friction device according to claim 8, wherein all parts ofthe anti-friction device are substantially circular in configuration.

10. An anti-friction device according to claim 9, wherein the outer edgeportions of the encapsulating means are folded under the first washermeans approximately in abutting relationship with the first washermeans.

11. An anti-friction device according to claim 9, wherein the secondwasher means is provided with a substantially centrally located hole oflesser diametric dimension than the hole in the first washer means withthe inner circumferential edge portions of the second washer meansextending through the hole of the first washer means and transmittingthe clamping action of the threaded member onto the first washer means.

12. An anti-friction device according to claim 9, wherein the hole ofthe first washer means is only slightly larger than the threaded portionof the threaded member, and in that the threadedimember has a conicallyshaped head portion engaging in the hole of complementary configurationprovided in said second washer means.

13. An anti-friction device according to claim 1, wherein the secondwasher means is provided with a substantially centrally located hole oflesser diametric dimension than the hole in the first washer means withthe inner circumferential edge portions of the second washer meansextending through the hole of the first washer means and transmittingthe clamping action of the threaded member onto the first washer means.

14. An anti-friction device according to claim 1, wherein the hole ofthe first washer means is only slightly larger than the threaded portionof the threaded member, and the threaded member has a conically shapedhead portion engaging in the hole of complementary configurationprovided in said second washer means.

15. An anti-friction device for supporting the sole of a ski boot on aski for purposes of minimizing variations in the friction forces underall skiing conditions, comprising a first washer means provided with asubstantially centrally located hole, further means having low frictionsurfaces and of larger diametric dimension than said first washer meansand including at least a second washer means, means including a threadedmember for holding said first washer means fixedly with respect to theski, and outer encapsulating means which has its peripheral edgeportions folded over and tucked under the further means to therebyprovide a moistureand dirt-proof assembly by the sealing action of thematerial of the encapsulating means in conjunction with the clampingaction of the tightened threaded member.

16. An anti-friction device according to claim 15, wherein the outerencapsulating means is made of a resilient material.

17. An anti-friction device according to claim 15, wherein the firstwasher means is made of steel and the second washer means is made ofpolytetrafluoroethylene.

18. An antifriction device according to claim 15, wherein a disk meansis interposed between the second washer means and the outerencapsulating means, said disk means being of larger diametric dimensionthan the second washer means.

19. An anti-friction device according to claim 18, wherein the diskmeans is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

20. An anti-friction device according to claim 2, wherein said washermeans are metal or other rigid material coated with apolytetrafluoroethylene layer.

21. An anti-friction device according to claim 15, wherein said threadedmember is threadably connected to a base plate, and wherein saidencapsulating means is clamped between said base plate and said furthermeans with the encapsulating means in contact with the base plate.

22. An anti-friction device for supporting the sole of a ski boot on aski for purposes of minimizing variations in the friction forces underskiing conditions; said device comprising:

a first washer means,

a second washer means with low-friction surfaces,

a disk means with low-friction surfaces,

and holding means for holding said first washer means and second washermeans fixedly with respect to the ski with one side of said secondwasher being supported on said first washer means and the other side ofsaid second washer means supporting said disk means,

wherein said holding means includes a first member extending throughopenings provided in said first and second washer means,

and wherein said holding means further includes an outer encapsulatingmeans of resilient material which has its peripheral edge portionsfolded over and tucked under the second washer means to thereby providea moisture and dirt-proof assembly by the sealing action of theresilient material of the encapsulating means in conjunction with theclamping action of the first member.

23. A device according to claim 22, wherein said first member is athreaded clamping member.

24. A device according to claim 23, wherein said encapsulating meanscovers said disk means on the side of said disk means facing outwardlyof said second washer means.

25. A device according to claim 24, wherein said threaded member isthreadedly attached to a base member, and wherein said encapsulatingmeans is clamped between said base member and said second washer means.

1. AN ANTI-FRACTION DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING THE SOLE OF A SKI BOOT ON ASKI FOR PURPOSES OF MINIMIZING VARIATIONS IN THE FRICTION FORCES UNDERALL SKIING CONDITIONS, COMPRISING A FIRST WASHER MEANS PROVIDED WITH ASUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY LOCATED HOLE, FURTHER MEANS HAVING LOW FRICTIONSURFACES AND OF LARGER DIAMETRIC DIMENSION THAN SAID FIRST WASHER MEANSAND INCLUDING AT LEAST A SECOND WASHER MEANS, MEANS INCLUDING A THREADEDMEMBER FOR HOLDING SAID FIRST WASHER MEANS AND AT LEAST A PART OF SAIDFURTHERE MEANS FIXEDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE SKI, AND OUTER ENCAPSULATINGMEANS OF RESILIENT MATERIAL WHICH HAS ITS PERIPHERAL EDGE PORTIONSFOLDED OVER AND TUCKED UNDER THE FURTHER MEANS TO THEREBY PROVIDE AMOISTURE- AND DIRTPROOF ASSEMBLY BY THE SEALING ACTION OF THE RESILIENTMTERIAL OF THE ENCAPSAULTAING MEANS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CLAMPINGACTION OF THE TIGHTENED THREADEDED MEMBER.
 2. An anti-friction deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said further means includes a secondwasher means with low-friction surfaces and of larger diametricdimension than said first washer means and a disk means withlow-friction surfaces and of still larger diametric dimension than saidsecond washer means, said second washer means being held fast by saidthreaded member.
 3. An anti-friction device for skis, according to claim1, wherein said first washer means essentially consists of a relativelyrigid material while the second washer means essentially consists of amaterial having anti-friction properties.
 4. An anti-friction deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the first washer means is made of steeland the second washer means is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.
 5. Ananti-friction device according to claim 1, wherein a disk means isinterposed between the second washer means and the outer encapsulatingmeans, said disk means being of larger diametric dimension than thesecond washer means.
 6. An anti-friction device according to claim 5,wherein the disk means is made of a low-friction material.
 7. Ananti-friction device according to claim 5, wherein the disk means ismade of polytetrafluoroethylene.
 8. An anti-friction device according toclaim 7, wherein the outer encapsulating means essentially consists ofneoprene.
 9. An anti-friction device according to claim 8, wherein allparts of the anti-friction device are substantially circular inconfiguration.
 10. An anti-friction device according to claim 9, whereinthe outer edge portions of the encapsulating means are folded under thefirst washer means approximately in abutting relationship with the firstwasher means.
 11. An anti-friction device according to claim 9, whereinthe second washer means is provided with a substantially centrallylocated hole of lesser diametric dimension than the hole in the firstwasher means with the inner circumferential edge portions of the secondwasher means extending through the hole of the first washer means andtransmitting the clamping action of the threaded member onto the firstwasher means.
 12. An anti-friction device according to claim 9, whereinthe hole of the first washer means is only slightly larger than thethreaded portion of the threaded member, and in that the threaded memberhas a conically shaped head portion engaging in the hole ofcomplementary configuration provided in said second washer means.
 13. Ananti-friction device according to claim 1, wherein the seCond washermeans is provided with a substantially centrally located hole of lesserdiametric dimension than the hole in the first washer means with theinner circumferential edge portions of the second washer means extendingthrough the hole of the first washer means and transmitting the clampingaction of the threaded member onto the first washer means.
 14. Ananti-friction device according to claim 1, wherein the hole of the firstwasher means is only slightly larger than the threaded portion of thethreaded member, and the threaded member has a conically shaped headportion engaging in the hole of complementary configuration provided insaid second washer means.
 15. An anti-friction device for supporting thesole of a ski boot on a ski for purposes of minimizing variations in thefriction forces under all skiing conditions, comprising a first washermeans provided with a substantially centrally located hole, furthermeans having low friction surfaces and of larger diametric dimensionthan said first washer means and including at least a second washermeans, means including a threaded member for holding said first washermeans fixedly with respect to the ski, and outer encapsulating meanswhich has its peripheral edge portions folded over and tucked under thefurther means to thereby provide a moisture- and dirt-proof assembly bythe sealing action of the material of the encapsulating means inconjunction with the clamping action of the tightened threaded member.16. An anti-friction device according to claim 15, wherein the outerencapsulating means is made of a resilient material.
 17. Ananti-friction device according to claim 15, wherein the first washermeans is made of steel and the second washer means is made ofpolytetrafluoroethylene.
 18. An anti-friction device according to claim15, wherein a disk means is interposed between the second washer meansand the outer encapsulating means, said disk means being of largerdiametric dimension than the second washer means.
 19. An anti-frictiondevice according to claim 18, wherein the disk means is made ofpolytetrafluoroethylene.
 20. An anti-friction device according to claim2, wherein said washer means are metal or other rigid material coatedwith a polytetrafluoroethylene layer.
 21. An anti-friction deviceaccording to claim 15, wherein said threaded member is threadablyconnected to a base plate, and wherein said encapsulating means isclamped between said base plate and said further means with theencapsulating means in contact with the base plate.
 22. An anti-frictiondevice for supporting the sole of a ski boot on a ski for purposes ofminimizing variations in the friction forces under skiing conditions;said device comprising: a first washer means, a second washer means withlow-friction surfaces, a disk means with low-friction surfaces, andholding means for holding said first washer means and second washermeans fixedly with respect to the ski with one side of said secondwasher being supported on said first washer means and the other side ofsaid second washer means supporting said disk means, wherein saidholding means includes a first member extending through openingsprovided in said first and second washer means, and wherein said holdingmeans further includes an outer encapsulating means of resilientmaterial which has its peripheral edge portions folded over and tuckedunder the second washer means to thereby provide a moisture anddirt-proof assembly by the sealing action of the resilient material ofthe encapsulating means in conjunction with the clamping action of thefirst member.
 23. A device according to claim 22, wherein said firstmember is a threaded clamping member.
 24. A device according to claim23, wherein said encapsulating means covers said disk means on the sideof said disk means facing outwardly of said second washer means.
 25. Adevice according to claim 24, wherein said threaded member is threadedlyattachEd to a base member, and wherein said encapsulating means isclamped between said base member and said second washer means.